Sewing-machine presser-foot.



No. 659,543. Patented Oct. 9, 1900, w. N. PARKES. sEwm-a cums PRESSER FOOT.

(Application filed Oct. 10, 1899. Renewed Aug. 81, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES WVILLIAM N. PARKES,

. ATENT Erica.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE PRESSER-FOOT.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent N 0. 659,543, dated October 9, 1900.

Original application filed June 22, 1898, $erial No. 684,179. Divided and this application filed October 10, 1899. Renewed August 31. 1900- Serial No. 28,708. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM N. PARKES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Presser-Feet, of which the following is a specification.

On June 22, 1898, I filed an application for a patent on an ornamental-stitch sewing-machine, Serial No. 684,17 9, of which application this is a division, in which I illustrated and described in addition to the ornamentalstitch-forming mechanism a particular form of presser-foot and a particular form of feeddog.

The subject of my present application is the above-referred-to presser-foot.

This invention has for its main object a presser-foot the face of which will adapt itself to various thicknesses or uneven surfaces of material being stitched.

I The nature of my invention will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a bottom or face View, Fig. 2 a top View, Fig. 3 a sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 an end view, of the presserfoot. Fig. 5 shows one of the supplemental springs. Fig. 6 is a top view of a modification of the presser-foot. Fig. 7 is a bottom or face view, and Fig. Sis an end view, of the modified presser-foot. Fig. 9 is a face view of the presser-foot, showing oblique corrugations.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, A designates the shank of the presser-foot, which is adapted to be connected in an ordinary way to an ordinary presser-bar.

B is the presser foot, having a slot 1) through it for the passage of the needle. In

the face of the presser-foot and longitudinal of the same are recesses or ways 6, b and b 0, c, 0 and c are supplemental presserplates, having at their ends vertical upturned portions 0 and horizontal portions 0 which loosely extend into the ways 1), b and IF. A pin 0, running through the walls of the ways at their forward ends, serves as a means for retaining the forward upturned ends of the supplemental plates in the ways and a detachable piece a for retaining the rear upturned ends of the plates in the ways. Bridges c and 0 across the way I) retain the upturned ends next to the needle-hole of the plates 0 and c in the said way 19 A flat spring D, having concavo-convex sides, as shown in Fig. 3, located between the upper walls of the ways and each supplemental plate. These springs are adapted to normally press downward on the plates and at the same time to allow the plates to rock in any direction. All the ends of the supplemental plates are made conveXo-convex, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, thus adapting them to freely rock laterally when in contact with their retaininghearings or with the presser-foot. The ways are made of sufficient depth to allow the upturned ends of the supplemental presser-plates to move the desired extent vertically and are of sut'ficient width to allow them to rock in any direction.

The springs D are broadened at their ends, as shown in Fig. 5, and slightly upturned, as shown in Fig. 3.

The presser-foot can be supplied with one or more of these supplemental plates and springs. The nature of the work will determine the number that are needed. For example, suppose embroidery-stitching is being done over smooth even material. As the work passes from the needle the path over which the stitching is done is thicker than any other part of the material, and the result is, where a presser-foot is used with a single rigid face, that the goods are not held down firmly on the needle-plate or the feed except in the one place-namely, where the stitching has been done. In embroidery or fancy work it is especially desirable to hold the material down firmly all around the needle, so as to prevent drawing or puckering of the work. In my presser-foot the auxiliary plate back of the needle yields as the stitching passes under it, thus allowing the work to be still held squarely on the needle-plate or the face of the feeddog. If a second row of embroidery-stitches is made, say to the left of the one already made, the plate on the right will yield and the work will still be held down squarely on the feed or the needle-plate.

In embroidery or zigzag stitching, especially when the stitches are close to each other, there is a tendency to draw or pucker the material toward the center of the row of overseaming-stitches. This tendency to draw the work toward the center, as is well known, is caused by the needle plunging through the material and the tension of the thread in drawing up or finishing of the stitch. As an additional means to prevent this drawing of the work orto hold the same firmly and smoothly across the needle-plate I corrugate the face of the supplemental plates obliquely from the center of the foot out, as shown in Fig. 9. As the work moves from the operator these corrugations draw the same taut across the needle-slot.

When the foot is used for ornamental stitching, in which the Work is reversed in its movements, I corrugate the face of the supplemental plates longitudinal of the foot, as shown in Fig. 1. These straight corrugations also help to prevent the work from drawing toward the center; but Where the work moves continuously from the operator I prefer to use the oblique corrugations.

When the foot is to be used for plain straightaway sewing, one supplemental presser-plate can be used, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. This adaptation of the foot makes it ver 1 desirable for all kinds of ordinary stitching. The auxiliary presser-plate being adapt-ed to rock in any direction adapts it to ride very freely over seams or uneven surfaces. Numerous other adaptations for various kinds of work will suggest themselves to those familiar with the art.

I do not wish to be confined to the particular formation of the auxiliary plates or springs herein shown and described or the particular means for retaining the plates and springs on the face of the presser-foot, as it is obvious that these could be changed in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a sewingmachine presser-foot, the combination of a plurality of supplemental presser-plates loosely attached to the face of the presser-foot, ways formed in the presserfoot for guiding said plates, and a plurality of springs disposed intermediate the presserfoot and the plates, said springs adapted to impinge against the presser foot and the plates.

2. In a sewing-machine presser-foot, the combination of a plurality of ways formed in the face of the presser-foot, a plurality of supplemental presser-plates adapted to move Vertically independent of the movement of the presser-foot, means adapting the said ways to means in connection with the said ends for loosely attaching the said plates to the presser+ foot, and means for yieldingly holding the plates in a horizontal position.

4. In a sewing-machine presser-foot, the combination of a plurality of supplemental presser-plates for the presser-foot,'said plates being provided at their ends with verticallyupturned portions 0 and convexo convex horizontal portions 0 ways in the face of the presser-foot, bearings across the ways for 00-- operating with the portions 0 of the plates, and yielding means for normally pressing the portions 0 against the said bearings.

'5. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a presser foot, one or more supplemental presser-plates loosely attached to the said presser-foot, said plates and presser-foot constructed to form a receptacle between the plates and the foot, a concavo-convex spring located in said receptacle, the ends of said spring being adapted to engage the supplemental presser-plates and the convex portion of the said spring adapted to engage with the presser-foot.

6. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a Presser-foot, of Ways formed in the face of the presser foot, supplemental presserplates having upturned ends extending into the said ways, a spring in each way intermediate the plates and the upper wall of the way, each of the supplemental presser-plates being adapted to move vertically or rock against the action of the said spring, and means for re taining the upturned ends of the plates in the ways.

7. In a sewingmachine, the combination with a presser-foot, of a plurality of ways formed in the face of the presser-foot and longitudinally of the same, a plurality of supplemental presserplates having upturned ends extending into the said ways, and bearings across the said ways adapted to retain the ends of the presser-plates inthe ways, the portion of the plates which comes into contact with the bearings being adapted to rock laterally thereon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM N. PARKES.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. EISENBAUM, G. E. ORoUT'r. 

